Governor CV Ananda Bose and BJP Leader Suvendu Adhikari Criticize West Bengal Government on Women’s Safety

On August 19, Governor CV Ananda Bose met with women leaders and doctors at Raj Bhavan in Kolkata to celebrate Raksha Bandhan. During his address, he criticized the state government, stating that democracy in West Bengal is deteriorating and emphasized the need to make the state safe for women.

Governor Bose said, “In West Bengal, democracy is degenerating…This cannot go on. Today, we have to take a pledge to protect our daughters or sisters…This society should become a place where women feel happy and secure. We have failed in our mission to our sisters. This is the minimum a civilized society should do. This is the time for all men to correct ourselves.”

He added, “This is the time to come together. As I say, coming together is beginning, keeping together is progress, and working together is a success. My responsibility as a governor is to serve the people. I know the goal is far, the road is long, but the march is on. We will certainly reach our destination. I am with you, I am for you.”

Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari also criticized the state government, alleging that it cannot ensure women’s safety. He said, “It is a matter of shame that the state government issues a notification which shows that there is no safety for women at night. While bills are passed to reserve seats for women in Parliament and the Assembly, there is talk of women’s empowerment. At the same time, the state government says that it is not right for women to do duty at night. The biggest irony is that there is no safety for women at night in the state. Further, the government also says that women should not go out of the house even during the day.”

Counsel for the victim’s family, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, accused the state government of trying to influence witnesses. He said, “The role of CM in the state of West Bengal is very condemnable. Wherever there is rape, she wants to immediately get into contact with the victim’s family, pay them money, and say everything is over. Unfortunately, she has fixed a rate card for the rape victims…She attempts to purchase the witnesses.”

Earlier, Governor Bose criticized the Mamata Banerjee government, saying, “Bengal is not a place safe for women. Bengal has failed its women. Not the society but the present government has failed its women folk. Bengal should be brought back to its pristine glory where women had a respectable place in society…Women now are scared of ‘Gundas’ this has been created by the government that is insensitive to this issue.”

Governor Bose is expected to meet Home Minister Amit Shah to discuss the situation in the state. On August 9, a postgraduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered while on duty at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, sparking nationwide strikes and protests by the medical community. On August 14, the protest site and the hospital campus at RG Kar were vandalized by a mob, prompting security personnel to disperse the crowd. To maintain law and order, Kolkata police have imposed Section 163 of the BNSS around RG Kar Medical College and Hospital for seven days, effective from August 18.